What to Do with Feral Kitten

1. Pets don't have to automatically have fleas - you can prevent them by using a product like Frontline once a month, which you can get from your vet.

2. You can keep a litter box in a bathroom or basement or laundry room where the baby doesn't have access.

3. You vacuum the fur off the furniture and carpeting.

4. You can provide a scratching post and keep kitty's nails trimmed so they don't do much damage.

5. If your parents can't be bothered to get the cat vaccinated and spayed/neutered, they have no business taking it in.

6. Try Googling for website about cat care for more info - www.aahanet.org is a good one (healthypet.com).

1) You can get the cat fixed, for an inexpensive fee, from a local Humane Society.

2) I have had feral kittens, as pets. Which I tamed, and they got very domesticated. And I got them neutered. And they were indoor and outdoor cat pets.

3) You also have to, if you decide to keep it as a pet, get it checked for worms or get it de-wormed etc. and checked by a Vet. Then you will know it is healthy or not or has diseases.

4) If YOU take it as a pet to your house, then you need to keep it as in indoor cat. Being there are dogs in your neighborhood. And per Fleas... you simply treat your cat, before you get it all in your home. Go to a pet store to get flea products and shampoos etc.

5) You also need to get a littler box, and cat litter. Cats use litter boxes. I did not have to train mine, to use a litter box... they just used it with no problem. Ask the pet store or Vet, what you will need. Including pet food etc.
You put the litter box, in an out of the way place, where you don't mind having the cat "toilet." And where your kids will not get into it.
Keep it where baby cannot go.

6) yes, some cats shed a lot of fur. Some don't. You "train" the cat not to go on furniture. My cats, did not go on furniture. I trained them. Like you would teach a Toddler. They were good about it. I had a cat "chair" for them to go on. THAT is where, my cats could lay on. They knew that.

7) Yes, get scratching posts. Cats need that.

8) As I said, my pet cats, were initially wild feral cats. I found them at my door, when they were kittens. The Mom had died. I found her dead in the bushes. The kittens, then needed to be cared for, which I did and then they got tame, and domesticated. And became, "pets." They were indoor and outdoor cats. Then when I moved, they became indoor cats and were perfectly fine.

*Your Mom/parents, do NOT seem to want this cat nor to care for it? Thus, you need to either leave it be, or find a home for it, or take it in to your home as a pet.

Cats, are good pets. They are independent and loveable. You don't have to walk them. They use a litter box.
And you train them, not to go on counters or furniture, or beds.
My cats, were behaved.

My cat was a feral kitten. She about tore me apart when i finally caught her, but it took no time at all after she got some good food from me to turn her into a pussycat (lame pun, but it is what it is).
Cats are good buddies, buy yep you gotta take her to vet first thing and get her shots and flea'd and such.
I bought a cat tree at PetSmart, my cat loves it. They love little toy mice and sticks with a feather at the end to chase. They love to curl up on your lap and sleep or sleep in bed with ya. If they are indoor cats all the time, they are clean and you shouldnt have any worries. Litter box needs to be cleaned every day. Clumping litter is the way to go, it lasts a long time if you clean it daily--so it's not a huge added expense. Cats are generally pretty hardy pets, vet visits should be few and far between for an inside cat. Mine has only been twice, just for shots and spay.
They are very entertaining and they will catch the flies and spiders and any mice or other weird things that might get in the house.
You can train her to stay off the furniture if that's the route you want to take, usually a loud noise like clapping your hands and saying "no" will work.

I would say it would best for the kitty to be caught in a live trap and taken to the vet anyway. If it is going to have contact with the children it must have a check up and if it were me I'd go ahead and get it's shots.

Then I might bring it home and try really hard to socialize it. we found an abandoned baby kitty outside our house at the farm. It didn't even have it's eyes open or its ears unfurled yet. We took it to the vet and he gave us some kitty milk and an eye dropper thing. We fed this cat and raised it. In essence we were it's mom and dad. It was still wild somewhat and was challenging.

We took it lots of places with us and always worked with it with a stuffed animal puppet on our hands. He was the best cat ever once he got bigger. He got declawed on the front only so if he ever got out he's still have some defenses.

He lived a long long time too. We loved him a great deal. He was totally a feral cat, the vet estimated he was probably half bobcat. He had the tufts of hair on his chin and was huge. He could stand on his back paws and lay his chin on the dining room table.

I think if you have the patience and your kids will listen to your instructions on how to socialize him to being around humans and especially children then this kitty will be a wonderful addition to your household.

I rescued a litter of kittens many years ago. They were young, but not teeny tiny and the feral cat rescue wouldn't take them because they said they were too old and they didn't have time to condition them from being wild. (They only take them when they are newborn, eyes closed, dependent on mom).

I found homes for 2 and we ended up keeping 1. She has always been shy. We've had her for about 9 years. She is affectionate toward me and my husband and my oldest child but runs when anyone new comes in the house. She sleeps under our bed most of the day and comes out in the evening when he house is quiet and the kids have gone to bed.

We have always kept her indoors. She scratches on the couch so we got "soft-paws" for her rather than having her declawed... a practice I think is inhumane.

As for the litter box... you keep it someplace where the baby can't get to it. Same with the water and food because the baby will play in that too. You vacuum the cat hair... some cats shed more than others.

It's hard to say how well this kitty would do indoors. The older they are, the tougher it is and she can start having some undesirable behaviors if she's not happy... like peeing places you don't want her to.

Option C could be that it lives at your parent's house and remains outside and YOU pay for getting it spayed and vaccinated. When they kids go to visit they can play with her then. As for the fleas... if it has them and remains outdoors, it's likely that she will continue to get them unless your parents treat their yard or you continue to treat her with flea medication to keep them away.

Good luck~

Depending on the age, a still young kitty can be given a home. First stop should be a vet, there they can treat for fleas, get its shots, a basic check up and appointment for a "fix". They can also tell you or have some one get in contact with you about seeing if kitty can be a pet or not. A lot of shelters work with a specialist who can test potential pet temperments.

Scratching posts are a must, buy a vacuum specifically for pet hair, a potty box in a bathroom that can have a baby gate to keep your youngest out (or just watch baby like a hawk), cats can climb and some are very "springy" a gate shouldn't pose too much trouble, if your husband is handy you can rig up an gate/kitty flap, too small for human baby but easy for kitty. Also band-aids and spray disinfectant, kittens are babies so they don't always know when it's good to use their claws and teeth and those little buggers are needle sharp. Also toys toys toys! He's young and is going to be active, he's also been an outside cat, his hunt instinct is going to be high so to keep him off your ankles give him toys to "hunt". Cats also tend to be more active just before dawn and sunset. Many also tend to not like the status quo messed with, getting kitten on a set feeding/playtime scheduled would be good.

The only big issue I think you may face is potty training. Most kittens learn by example from Mommy. He may not be box trained. I've never had to train a kitten myself, but I think they are naturally latrine animals, as in they pick a spot and revisit it. If you have accidents placing the box in the kitty's chosen "spot" can help, also putting the...."present" inside the box then placing the kitten in the box with it might help too. I've seen both methods suggested, might be something to prepare yourself for.

Good luck.